Crouch and Roach Estuaries (Mid-Essex Coast Phase
3)

Country

England

Unitary Authority

Essex

SPA status

Classified 29/06/1998

Latitude

51 38 23 N

Longitude

00 43 06 E

SPA EU code

UK9009244

Area (ha)

1735.58

Component SSSI/ASSIs

Crouch and Roach Estuaries

The Crouch and Roach Estuaries are located on the coast of south
Essex in eastern England. The River Crouch occupies a shallow
valley between two ridges of London Clay, whilst the River Roach is
set predominantly between areas of brick earth and loams with
patches of sand and gravel. The intertidal zone along the Rivers
Crouch and Roach is 'squeezed' between the sea walls along both
banks and the river channel. Unlike more extensive estuaries
elsewhere in Essex, this leaves a relatively narrow strip of tidal
mud which, nonetheless, is used by significant numbers of birds.
The site is of importance for wintering waterbirds, especially
Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta b. bernicla.

The Crouch and Roach Estuary is an integral component of the
phased Mid-Essex Coast SPA.

Note:

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of
a site in these pages does not imply any right of public
access.

Note that sites selected for waterbird species on the basis of
their occurrence in the breeding, passage or winter periods also
provide legal protection for these species when they occur at other
times of the year.